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The Gamer's Guide to Comic-Con 2010

Deadpool and Ryu exchange uppercuts in the comic-crossover fighting game Marvel vs. Capcom 3, which will be playable at Comic-Con International this week.Image courtesy Capcom

Comic book superheroes and videogame characters will collide at Comic-Con International, the annual convention that gears up this week in San Diego.

The big game will undoubtedly be Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, the long-awaited return of one of the greatest crossovers in gaming. Set to be released next spring, it's a coke-fueled fighter that makes Street Fighter seem as sedate as a leisurely Sunday game of checkers. Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a nonstop explosion of supermoves and ultra combos that pits the likes of Wolverine and Iron Man against characters from Resident Evil and Devil May Cry.

A massive boxing ring in publisher Capcom's Comic-Con booth will play host to a raucous Marvel vs. Capcom tournament. Capcom will also host a panel dedicated to in-depth discussion of the game.

"Games are a natural fit in a lot of ways for comic fans," says Capcom community manager Seth Killian. The big boxing ring is a key example, he says, of how the company goes the extra mile to get fans excited at Comic-Con, with hopes that the enthusiasm will spread to people who don't make the convention.

Despite its origins as a gathering for comic book fans, Comic-Con International has grown over the past four decades into a lengthy celebration of pop culture in general. More than 100,000 fans converge on San Diego each year to catch glimpses of upcoming blockbuster movies and TV shows, meet stars and glean information from packed panels. Videogame companies show up to promote their latest wares, and occasionally drop big news and game announcements to the Comic-Con crowd.

"Seeing fans who are screaming and yelling and dressing up like the characters really show that there are people who care about this," Capcom's Killian says.

Besides the Marvel blowout, Capcom will also bring the producers of Street Fighter and Mega Man from Osaka to host their own panels and make new game announcements.

Must-See Gamer Goodness at Comic-Con 2010
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Gamers will have plenty of other distractions during the four sold-out days of Comic-Con, which takes place Wednesday through Sunday. Here are the can't-miss gamer attractions of this year's show.

Metal Gear Creator Judges Your Costumes

Hideo Kojima, the famed producer of the Metal Gear Solid series, will be on hand for a special event Friday afternoon. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., he will be at the Marriott hotel signing autographs and adjudicating a Metal Gear cosplay contest. Want to know what the man himself thinks of your naked Raiden costume? Go find out.

Score a Special Dragon Quest IX Map

Getting a lot of use out of the feature in Nintendo's recently released Dragon Quest IX that lets you trade rare treasure maps when you randomly walk by somebody else who owns the game? You don't live in Tokyo, so of course you aren't. But nerd gatherings are the perfect place to use this feature, and Nintendo is giving out a rare virtual treasure map at its booth.

You'll also be able to play the upcoming Wii game Metroid: Other M on the Comic-Con floor.

Discover Maxis' Latest Game

The creator of The Sims and Spore has a new project up its sleeve, and it will pull it out during a panel discussion Saturday evening. It's a science fiction-tinged action role-playing game set in the Spore universe, and various members of the development team will be on hand to give quite a bit more detail than that.

Ubisoft Shows Scott Pilgrim, Assassin's Creed

Game publisher Ubisoft will let attendees get hands-on with three upcoming games. If you're into Scott Pilgrim, the company's retro-themed beat'em-up game based on the popular comics will be the focal point of its Comic-Con booth. If you're more of an Assassin's Creed player, the multiplayer mode from the latest in the series will be previewed there, and explained further in a panel discussion Thursday. And if you are drunk you can play Just Dance 2.

Curt Schilling Pitches ... a Game

Former Red Sox pitcher and avid gamer Curt Schilling has been working on a role-playing game for quite some time now, and it's finally time to see what he's been up to at a Thursday afternoon panel. Schilling will unveil the first game from his new venture 38 Studios with an exclusive trailer directed by Todd McFarlane (Spawn). Also, free posters.